


Ready and Waiting to Fall

by wordsinbetween



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Episode Tag, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-15 23:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3466166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsinbetween/pseuds/wordsinbetween
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barba's leaning against the side of the little sandwich shop everyone in the NYPD seems to frequent, but it's such a weird time in the afternoon that luckily it's a little emptier than usual. He's fiddling with his phone when Sonny steps right up to him, close enough to reach forward and touch but he waits, hands still firmly in his pockets while he looks the other man over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ready and Waiting to Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This got really long and turned into a December Solstice fix-it, mostly because I started thinking about scruffy Barba and couldn't get the image out of my head.

Sonny doesn't see him for three days after the Briggs case, but he knows Barba doesn't have any active cases because the squad room has been dead, full of half-assed complaints and bickering couples who just wanna get back at each other for the little things, like "he promised me he'd pick up the kids, but did he do it? No! He never does!" and "she's just mad she caught me with her sister last weekend." Sonny ignores the tension growing in the squad, sees the stiffness in Benson's shoulders and the disinterest in every action Fin takes, the boredom in Rollins' voice when she answers the phone, the one person who always seems to be able to find some point of amusement in whatever case they've got going on.

He's got his desk's landline pressed against his ear, the lady on the other end droning away because she's one of the only two spotty witnesses they've got for this domestic dispute, but they've gotta follow-up because Liv gave 'em that look and the Sarge gets what she wants. His cell buzzes on his desk and he's immensely grateful for the distraction.

_Coffee?_

One word and his heart's beating a little faster already, and he lets himself feel a little ridiculous about it for a second before gathering himself and focusing on the woman -- Ms. Lopez? Lorenz? something -- long enough to gather her last words and thank her for her time.

"I'm gonna take lunch, you want anything?" He asks Amanda, sitting across from him and scribbling notes down on her pad as she stares at her computer screen, just as bored as he is. Neither of them are particularly good about hiding how bored they are really are.

"Sure," she shrugs, barely looking up as she rattles off her order, "Ham and swiss, usual place, yeah?"

"Yeah, the usual. I'll be back in thirty." Sonny nods, slipping his cell into his pocket and shrugging on his coat, sparing a thought to hope it's not snowing again outside. He's getting really tired of all the snow.

"Yeah, I'll tell Benson. Might wanna bring her back something, too. Maybe then she'll let us go home." Amanda says, her smirk growing as he nods and rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it." Walking out of the squad room and into the elevator, he's so unbelievably thankful to have the small moment to himself. He takes his phone out again, sends a quick message because he knows Barba must be close to have sent a message like that.

Five minutes later he's outside, grimacing at the cold wind biting at his neck, zipper pulled up as high as it'll go but he's still fucking cold. He takes a left and lowers his head against the onslaught of bitter air, hurrying down the three blocks as fast as he can. Barba's leaning against the side of the little sandwich shop everyone in the NYPD seems to frequent, but it's such a weird time in the afternoon that luckily it's a little emptier than usual. He's fiddling with his phone when Sonny steps right up to him, close enough to reach forward and touch but he waits, hands still firmly in his pockets while he looks the other man over.

In three days Barba's managed to let his beard grow out a pretty substantial amount and it's completely and irritatingly distracting. When Barba slides his phone into his coat pocket and takes a tiny step forward, close enough that Sonny can feel their coats shift against each other, it takes more self-control to hold himself back than he'd like to admit. Barba looks him over, down and then back up and Sonny tries not to squirm, especially when he sees Barba's gaze linger on his lips. He doesn't stop his tongue from slipping out and swiping across his lips though, watching with some satisfaction as Barba hesitates, breath catching and eyes darkening before meeting Sonny's gaze again. Barba sighs and it's so frustrated-sounding that Sonny can't keep from smirking, watching as the other man turns and walks into the store, leaving him to catch up.

They stand next to each other in line in comfortable silence, and when they reach the front Barba orders a coffee and nothing else, leaving Sonny to order for himself and the rest of the team (to go, wrapped up and nicely situated in the little baggy they hand him when they giving back his change). They take the back corner table like they always do, tucked away from the immediate line of sight the front door brings. Like every other time they get a spare moment to meet for lunch, he slides his meal to the middle and digs into his sandwich, watching as Barba idly picks at his chips. He's come to accept Barba's weird appetite, which is often mostly filled with coffee and random snacks during the day until he gets home.

"Are you okay?" Sonny hesitates before asking, wiping his fingers on a napkin as he finishes eating. His question is met with silence as Barba rests his chin on one hand and pushes his to-go cup around the table with the other.

"Yeah, it's fine," Barba finally says, gaze rising to meet Sonny's for only a second before falling back to the table.

"Come on," Sonny sighs, standing up and tossing his trash before walking back outside.

They start to walk back towards the station, and Sonny spends half a block trying to think of what to say before finally thinking _fuck it_ and pulling Barba down an empty alley. "What are you--" is all he has time to protest before Sonny pushes him up against the nearest building, one hand lifting to Barba's cheek, rough against his palm.

"I know you don't wanna talk about it, but I just wanna know you're alright, okay?" Sonny says, and he doesn't know if the strain in his voice is from how much it hurts to see the painful half-smile Barba tries to give him, or if it's from their proximity and all the things it makes him want to do.

He doesn't have much time to think it over because Barba lifts a hand to the back of his neck and pulls him forward, mouth pressing against his and tongue hot as it forces Sonny's mouth open and he can't help the groan that escapes. The hand holding onto the stupid take-out bag clenches into a fist, because otherwise he'll let it fall to the ground and then this will quickly get out of hand, Sonny just knows it. He lets his other hand slide down Barba's face, over the three-day old stubble and he shivers at how _different_ and good it feels. His hand pauses against Barba's collarbone, thumb tracing it before his fingers slip around the tie looped loosely around Barb's neck. No suit today but God forbid Barba let himself outta the house without a tie. Sonny really, _really_ doesn't mind.

He lets Barba keep the frantic lead, lips harsh against his, fingers tight on his hips. Sonny doesn't keep himself from encouraging it all though, lightly tugging on the soft tie in his hand. He grins against Barba's mouth when he's pulled roughly forward until his hand is caught between them, though the way Barba's belt is rubbing against his lower stomach is far too much temptation for the middle of the day very, very close to the station.

Sonny starts to pull back, putting enough pressure on Barba's chest with his hand until he feels the other man start to slow down, kisses less urgent but turning slow and painfully hard to resist, and he finds himself lingering for one last long moment before taking a half step back. His hand is still tangled in the tie as they both catch their breath, until finally Sonny backs away and smooths the material down flat against the other man's chest, the last lingering touch sending shivers down his spine.

"Will you be done soon?" Barba's the first to speak again, always faster at gathering himself again, which Sonny supposes is to be expected.

"I hope so," is all Sonny can say, and he hates how breathy his voice sounds. He's gotta get a grip before he heads back up to work, though he's pretty sure his swollen lips are going to give him away in about two seconds flat, to Rollins at the very least.

When Barba smiles this time, it's real and not masking the strain they've both felt the last few days. Sonny smiles back at him and lets himself lean forward for one last kiss before he leaves.

"I'll see you tonight," he says, a fact and not a question, smirk widening as he watches Barba duck his head slightly before meeting his eyes again and nodding, watching Sonny slowly back up down the alley towards the main street again.

Sonny doesn't bother wiping the stupid grin from his face back at the station, tossing Amanda her sandwich and ignoring her amused, questioning look as he walks towards Benson's office. He hopes they get outta here sooner rather than later.


End file.
